Tender You Go
by entre-lagrimas-y-suspiros
Summary: Minerva/Hermione. Two decades after DH, Hermione finally tells Minerva how she feels. Warning not a happy story.


**AN: So I was listening to 'Carry you home' by James Blunt this morning and this was the result. Tell me what you think.

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**Tender You Go**

Hermione stood looking at the fragile woman in the bed. It had been months since she'd been in the same room with her, not since the New Year's party at the Burrow. She's always tired to stay in touch with her but life always got in the way. Being the deputy director of 's was more than a full time job, and when she wasn't working there was Ron and the kids. She barely found time to write once a month to check in on her old professor.

Old…she'd never thought of Minerva as old before. _Well_…she smiled to herself. She might have known she was older. She was specially attuned to the fact when she'd been at school, but she never thought of her as old. Not, Minerva McGonagall.

No, if anything Minerva was formidable. Strong in will and body. She had a forceful personality. No one can say they were able to ignore her presence. She had an indomitable spirit. She stood out…at least she always had to Hermione.

The woman in the bed however, looked nothing like the Minerva she knew. She'd lost weight since Hermione seen her last. There were dark circles under her eyes. She looked exhausted.

"Are you sure about doing this?" Frank, 's director and her boss, asked from the door of Minerva's bedroom. "I can get one of the healers, if you want."

"I'm sure, Frank, and don't worry about anything. I'll still be able to work from here. It wouldn't be a problem." She said pointing at the stack of paperwork she had brought from her office.

"Hermione, I'm not asking because I'm worried about the hospital. I'll take care of work. I'm asking because I know she's like family to you and this isn't going to be easy. Are you sure you want to put yourself through this?"

"Yes." Of course she was sure. She wouldn't relegate this to some junior healer or even the most experience one. This was her duty. She would do right by Minerva. It was the least she could do, after everything.

"Alright. The monitoring spells are already in place, and I'll be alert if her status changes. She left instructions for when she's gone, but don't worry about that. I'll take care of everything when it happens."

"Right." She said tightly. _Gone. _

"Ok, you know where to fine me if you need anything."

"Of course, thanks Frank."

"You're welcome darling." He moved to leave then stopped. "Ron's ok with this right?"

Hermione nodded.

"Right." He said before leaving.

Alone in the room with her thoughts and a sleeping Minerva for company, she felt her heart grow incredibly heavy again. _Gone. _

Even after all her years as a healer, all the years of dealing with death on a daily basis, she couldn't keep her emotions in check. This was Minerva, her Minerva.

When Frank had told her she couldn't believe him, and the shock that yet ware off. She hoped this day would never come, the day when Minerva's life hung by a thread that was quickly breaking. A thread that would snap because this wasn't something a healer could fix. It was simply her time.

Hermione sat in the chair by the window and look at the Minerva again, wishing she could stop time.

How had they gotten to that day? Where had the time gone? The questions went around and around in Hermione's head. She didn't have an answer. It seemed like only yesterday she had looked up the stairs and into Minerva's green eyes for the first time. It didn't feel like four decades.

She had known her almost her whole life. Had admired her from the first day, loved her almost just as long.

[]

When the time came Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. She doubled checked the monitors, and then did it again. She took her wand out and cast a basic diagnostic spell. Nothing. She wouldn't give up. Not on Minerva. She check her vitals the old fashion way. She couldn't hear anything other than the loud pounding of her own heart.

_Not yet. Please God, not yet. _

She prayed for time, but she knew it was too late. Too late for everything. She'd waited too long.

"Damn it." She cursed as she leaned down towards Minerva. "I'm sorry. I wanted to tell. I always thought I had time."

"Hermione?" Frank called as soon as she stepped in her room.

When he saw her he moved quickly towards Minerva, checking her vitals. "The monitoring spells alert me. I didn't…Hermione…"

She looked up at him then focused again on Minerva. "I'm sorry." She pressed her lips to the older woman's forehead. "So sorry."

"Hermione," Frank pulled her away, "she's gone."

"She was lucid this morning, even told me to go home. Smiled at me when I refused. I thought there be more time." Her voice was already half choked on the pain of losing her.

Frank hugged her when her emotions became too much for her to stop her tears. "She was a formidable woman, who had a long and full life, Hermione. I'm sure she wouldn't want to see you cry."

She nodded. "No, she probably wouldn't."

"The mortuary team is on it's way they'll take her back to the hospital. I'll take care of contacting her solicitor. Go home, Hermione, tell your family. I know how close the Weasleys were to her."

Hermione wished she could protest. She wanted to stay a little longer with her, but she wasn't really family. She had no right. She wiped her cheeks. "Right, I'll have Ron get the family together and brake the news."

"Good, you'll have a day or two before it's in _The Prophet_."

She nodded and walked out of the room, without looking back at the woman she loved.

[]

Hermione remain seated even as everyone stood to pay his or her last respects to Minerva. She looked around. There were so many people. After _The Prophet_ broke the news there was an outpouring of grief from the entire wizarding community, forcing the Ministry to allow the general public to attend the funeral.

"Everyone knew her," Ron said. "I haven't seen anything like this since Dumbledore's funeral."

"It wasn't just that they knew her Ron, everyone _loved_ her." Her tone was harsher than she'd intended, but she didn't want to talk to him…anyone but _him._

"I'm sorry love, I didn't mean to…"Her face was hard even as her eyes filled with tears,"…I'll wait for you with the rest of family. Take for time."

She did. She waited until everyone had said goodbye before making her way to the fresh grave. She held a rose close to her heart.

"I'm sorry, Minerva."

It was all she could say. She didn't deserve to say what she really wanted. She'd been a coward all those years. She'd never had the courage to tell Minerva. Never even had the courage to say it out loud. If she couldn't say it when it'd matter there was no point in saying it now. Excepted she needed to.

She brought the rose to her cheeks wetting it with her tears, and then kissed it. "I was a coward, Minerva, and I'm sorry. I should have told you."

She'd wanted to. Every time Minerva said her name as if it was a prayer. Every time she'd been able to see the love radiating from those green pools.

"I love you." She whispered into the petals before placing it among all the other roses.

"Ready to go, mom?" Hugo said from behind her.

She turned and noticed Ron looking at them from the last row of seats and the rest of the Weasley clan under the shadow of the castle. "Yes, love."

"You think she'll be able to tell which one is yours?" He asked.

"I hope so darling." She said hooked her arm through his and walked towards where Ron was waiting.

"All done?" He asked when they reached him.

Hermione nodded and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Thank you."

"What for?"

"For giving me space."

"Anytime."

Hermione walked arm in arm with her husband and son. Life kept going, and she would have too as well.

End.


End file.
